THIS IS MY STORY—85
MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE ERA OF AYUB KHAN TO THE TIMES OF IMRAN KHAN.
GHULAM AKBAR………..
An Interaction Ayub Khan and Mir Khalil ur Rahman
I remember a reception in the Governor House Karachi, in the honour of a visiting dignitary—Mohammad Shehoo, Prime Minister of Albania. President Ayub Khan had specially flown to Karachi to attend this reception.
Editors of four leading newspapers—Jang, Mashriq, Dawn and Morning News were invited too.
During a stroll in the lovely lawn of the gorgeous building, I got engaged in a light kind of conversation with the Late Mir Khalil ur Rahman of Jang.
“I have learnt that you have left Kohistan and joined Mashriq as Editor. Congratulations—” he said.
“Thank you Mir Sahib,” I replied, “I will be needing your good wishes and advice.”
“Oh certainly”, he said. “What is your circulation now?”
“You know better Mir Sahib,” I replied with a smile.
“How can I know Akbar?” Mir Sahib frowned a bit.
“Because you are our Circulation Manager as well. Our circulation can be only as high as you allow,” I promptly replied with an amused smile.
He was taken aback for a while; then laughed. “A good joke Akbar—”
At that moment President Ayub Khan spotted us together and walked upto us.
“What is being discussed gentlemen?” he asked smilingly.
I promptly narrated our conversation which made the Field Marshal laugh heartily.
“Well said young man. Mir Sahib certainly holds all the keys”, said the strongman of the country against whom at that time his one-time blue-eyed boy Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was assembling his support.
